History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 118

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 118

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Edward Down, another settler of 1840, bought land in the southern part of the township. He was an Englishnian, and emigrated to Ohio from New York. He only lived a short time after his settle- ment.

In 1839 Andrew Nuhfer became a resident of Woodville, coming from Ba- varia. He is the present postmaster.

Ira Benedict, a native of New York, came to Woodville township at an early day, and bought land up the Portage River, two or three miles from Woodville village. He rented his land at first, mak- ing final settlement in 1841. He was a very prominent man until his death, which occurred ten or twelve years ago. He was considered to be an exceptionally tine

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

scholar for his day. He has a son living in Toledo. In 1839 John Vanettan settled in the Benedict neighborhood. He was also from New York. His son Jacob is living.

Barthol Hurralbrink, a native of Han- over, Germany, came to Woodville town- ship in 1835, and settled on the Seager · place. He improved a good farm, became a leading citizen, and died in 1865, aged sixty-five years. His son, John H., sur- vives him.

In the same year of Hurralbrink's set- tlement, Hiram Preston, who had formerly lived on the State line between Pennsyl- vania and New York, came to this town- ship and settled in section twenty-seven, where he still is living, at the age of eighty- one years.

Frederick Myerholtz and a Mr. Frary located in the Hurralbrink neighborhood in 1835. Both are dead.

About 1836 or 1837 Henry Seabert, an emigrant from Hanover, Germany, settled in Woodville. His family still lives in the neighborhood.

In 1837 William Blank, a native of Pennsylvania, settled in the southern part of the township, on Sugar Creek, where members of his family are still living. He died in 1871, aged eighty-one years. A Mr. Burnham, from Lake Champlain, came about the same time as Mr. Blank. About this time a Mr. Solnan, a wagon- maker from Germany, located about three- quarters of a mile south of Woodville. It was he who built the first frame house after the organization of the township. John Duke, an Irishman, lived on the north side of the pike, near where the village now is, where he sold goods.

Michael McBride, a native of Pennsyl- vania, came to Ohio in 1837, and in 1841 bought land on Sugar Creek, in section thirty-five, where he still resides. He was contractor for the building of the stone

pike. His wife, Joanna Kaily, of Ireland, died in 1876. He has four children, all living.

Dr. A. R. Ferguson, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1814, came to Sandusky county in 1839, locating in the village of Woodville, where he kept a small drug store and practiced medicine until 1862, when he removed to Fremont. He was sheriff of the county for four years, and in 1866 moved to Ballville township, where he still resides. In 1843 he married Mary E. Hart, a native of New York, who died in 1850. Two children were born of this marriage, viz : Archibald, who resides in Tiffin, and Marietta, de- ceased. In 1855 Dr. Ferguson married Savilla, daughter of George and Lucy Cook. Ten children are the result of this union, all of whom are living, viz : Wil- liam and Edward, residing at Green Spring; Lillie B., wife of Kelley Myers, of Fre- mont; the others are at home-Nellie E., Lulu M., Savilla E., Frank R., Fannie G .. Alice B., and John A.

William C. Hendricks, a native of Ger- many, came from Toledo in 1839 and set- tled near Woodville. He is supposed to have been the first German who settled at Toledo.

Thomas L. Truman, jr., came to Wood- ville township in 1840, from Ottawa county. He is the son of Thomas L. Tru- man, sr., who emigrated from Connecticut to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in 1832, and in 1838 moved to Ottawa county, and was the first settler in Benton township. The younger Mr. Truman was married in 1843 to Susannah Baldwin, a native of Geauga county, Ohio. The result of this union was five children, two of whom, V bert A. and Thomas W., are deceased. Emeline married Samuel P. Gardner and resides at home. Betsy married Albert Myers and resides in Madison township; and the third daughter, Minnie, is the wife of D.

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

B. Brown, M. D., Pemberville, Wood county.

In 1842 C. F. Klaving, of Germany, and a Mr. Hiller settled on Sugar Creek in the southern part of the township. In the same year two brothers, H. H. and H. B. Shoe- maker, and Chris Gerion located in the same neighborhood.

Rev. George Cronnewett, pastor of the Lutheran church, became a resident of Woodville in 1841. During his time he has organized thirteen churches, and also been their pastoral supply for a greater or less number of years. On the third Sun- day in Advent 1866 his twenty-fifth anni- versary in Woodville was celebrated. At this time he preached from "Come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God." After the sermon he made a report, from which we extract the follow- ing items: During twenty-five years he preached about twelve hundred and fifty sermons, among which were a large num- ber of funeral sermons. He baptized nearly seventeen hundred and confirmed about twelve hundred and fifty persons. He sol- emnized three hundred and sixty-four mar- riages. To accomplish this he travelled upwards of sixty-four thousand miles. When we think of the work he has done since then we have an idea of his Christian zeal.

Elijah Kellogg was born in Canada in 1819, and settled in Woodville in 1843. His grandfather participated, under Gen- eral Ethan Allen, in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga.

Sanford G. Baker came from Wood county to this township in 1845, and bought land in section twenty. He was born in Georgia, Vermont, in 1817. By his own efforts he cleared his farm which was then a vast forest, and has it now un- der a high state of cultivation. He is the son of Elijah and Lavina (White) Baker. His father was a native of Vermont, and

his mother, who was born in New York State, was a descendant of William White, who came over in the Mayflower. The Bakers were pioneers of Wood county. Sanford Baker married Cynthia A. Web- ster, who died in 1857. Six children were born of this marriage, of whom two daughters and one son are living. Mr. Baker was again married to Phebe Os- born, by whom he has had eleven children, ten of whom are living. Mr. Baker held the office of county commissioner for three years, and has been treasurer of the town- ship. Of the children by Mr. Baker's first marriage, Helen M. is the wife of Israel Morse, and resides in Clay county, Ken- tucky; Emily is the wife of Jason Os- born, resides in Taylor county, Iowa; and John W., Woodville township. The children by the second wife are: Edmund, Ida, George, Belle, Rose, San- ford G., jr., Katie, Willie, Arthur, and Charlie.

Herman Kruse settled in 1845, having emigrated from Germany with his wife and four children. The family was in- creased to eight children, all of whom are living.

In 1847 John Kline, a native of Ger- many, settled near the Banks' mill. His family reside on the home place.

George Brion, of Wood county, settled in Woodville township in 1848.

J. F. Camper, born in Hanover, Ger- many, in 1794, came to this county in 1850, and settled in the northern part of Woodville township. He died in 1873. His widow, whose maiden name was Catharine Burgomeyer, is still living with her son Charles. The family consists of five children living and one deceased, viz: John. William, and Ernest, Woodville township: Mary, deceased; Frederick, Ottawa county; and Charles, Woodville township. Ernest, who accompanied his father from Germany, was born in 1827.

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

In 1856 he married Catharine Kruse, who was born in 1835. Four of the five chil- dren born of this marriage are living, viz: Henry, Caroline, John and Charles. George is dead. Mr. Camper farms two hundred and fifty acres of land.

CEMETERIES.

The oldest burying ground in Wood- ville township is located in section thirty- five, on Sugar Creek, about two miles southeast of the village of Woodville. The land was owned originally by C. B. Collins, who came from Sandusky about the year 1834 to superintend the grading of the old mud pike. In 1836 his wife died, and her grave was made across the creek, just west of the house. Mr. Col- lins set apart an acre of land for burial purposes, and since that time land has been added. Many of the pioneers found their last resting place in this yard, but it has not been used for seven or eight years, and is in a dilapidated condition.

THE UNION CEMETERY,

as it is called, has a rather peculiar origin. In the summer of 1846 a three-year-old son of Stephen Brown, of Woodville, died, and it was thought best to bury him near the village. Mr. Brown accordingly started in search of a suitable spot, and, after considerable search in the woods, found it at a point one-half mile due north of Woodville, in section twenty-one. Hither the funeral cortege repaired and in this spot was the lonely little grave made. It was not long before there was another grave there, and then another, until there was quite a community as a nucleus for the growth of the silent city that was laid out. In 1847 two acres were bought, at fifteen dollars an acre, and the ground was known as a township burying ground. Lots were laid off and subscrip- tions from ten cents upwards to a dollar entitled one to the ownership of a lot,

which was drawn for. The ground has been enlarged from time to time, and now consists of twelve acres. Fully one thou- sand people are buried in the cemetery, and it is now the only popular burying place in the township. In passing through we noted the names on the head-stones of the more prominent pioneers. The fol- lowing is the list: Jared Plumb, died in 1864, aged sixty-two years; John Duke, 1853, fifty-five years; Captain John D. Hart, 1854, sixty-seven years; Jacob Hiser, 1878, seventy-four years; Peter Koerbel, 1870, eighty years; Abner Hart, 1854, sixty-four; Chauncy Rundell, 1856, fifty- seven; Frederick Steirkamp, 1879, sixty- one; George Brim, 1873, sixty-six; Bar- thol Hurralbrink, 1865, sixty-five; Lester Allen, 1847, thirty-two; Ephraim Wood, 1860, eighty; Amos E. Wood, 1850, thirty-nine; Elijah Baker, 1864, eighty- nine; John F. Camper, 1873, seventy- eight; John Smith, 1877, seventy-three; Herman Beose, 1873, seventy-two; John Kline, 1877, seventy-two; Jacob Enoch, 1859 fifty-five; William Geyer, 1870, seventy-one, and many others.

THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY

is situated immediately south of the Union ground and is much smaller. It was laid out by Michael McBride. The first burial was that of Bryon Fay, a native of Ireland, who died- October 8, 1854. Among those that have since been buried there are Daniel Hagerty, died 1875, aged sixty-one; John McBride, 1866, eighty- five; Barthol Kaley, 1861, thirty-four; Robert Dailey, 1877, fifty-seven; Thomas Bennett, 1868, seventy-seven, and John Bookey, :878, sixty-three.

THE VILLAGE OF WOODVILLE

is the geographical and political centre of the township, to which it has given its name. It is pleasantly situated on the west bank of the Portage River, on the line

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railway, fifteen miles northwest of Fremont, and seventeen miles from Toledo. The town was laid out June 13, 1836, the pro- prietors being Amos E. Wood and George H. Price. The original plat consisted of forty-four lots on the west side of the river. At first there was a controversy about the name of the town, one Samuel Cochran being unwilling that it be called Woodville after Mr. Wood, but the name finally prevailed. The first house on the present site was Miller's tavern, built in 1825, described elsewhere in this work. The first frame house was erected in 1833, and was destroyed by fire in 1866. It stood on the main street, where the store of George Wehrung now is. It was a little structure, and in it was kept the first store. It was also the office of Dr. Man- ville, the first physician in the township. The second physician, Dr. A. R. Fergu- son, came to Woodville in 1839, remain- ing until 1862. Dr. Huffman came a number of years after Dr. Ferguson, as did also Dr. Walker and Dr. Bell, from Fremont. Dr. Fred Jager, of Germany, located in the village in 1850, remaining about eighteen years. The present phy- sicians are Drs. Bush and Bricker. After the organization of the township the first frame building erected was enclosed in the summer of 1840 by Garrett Solman, the first wagon-maker. The building, which was six inches narrower at the foundation than at the top, still stands just east of the post office. In this same year the old Lutheran church was put up. In 1834 John Duke, an old Scotchman, kept a general store in a log house that Harmon Baker now owns, and in 1839 B. L. Capel had a store on the property now occupied by Jacob Hoof, and afterward David Day kept a store.

In 1839 Dr. Ferguson had his office in a little frame building, which stood where

Brunce's brick store now stands. Charles Powers sold goods in the doctor's office in 1838, where the post office was kept. Mr. Powers, the postmaster, was suc- ceeded by John P. Endrekin, who was in turn succeeded by J. H. Rerick in 1860. In 1869 the office fell into the hands of Andrew Nuhfer, who still holds it. From a hamlet of three houses in 1839 Wood- ville has become a thriving village. What is known as the Pratt addition was made in 1855. August 19, 1873, an addition was made by Jonas Keil, and a second one July 28, 1875. There are at present more than five hundred inhabitants. The streets are broad, well graded and shaded, and are lined with neat dwelling houses and well kept yards. The following is a list of the business houses :

Groceries-J. F. Basey and Benjamin Otter.

Dry goods and notions-George Weh- rung and H. Reinkamp.

General store-Henry Brunce.

Hardware -- Andrew Nuhfer and Wil- liam Keil.

Drug store-Dr. Bush and Albert Cronnewett.

Flouring-mill-William Brunce.

Woollen-mill-W. J. Keil.

Saw-mill -Lewis Maynard.

There are two hotels, the Cosmopolitan and the Pennsylvania House.

THE WOODVILLE CHURCHES.

The Woodville churches are all, without exception, in the village, there being no other places of worship in the township. There are at present five organizations, of which the Lutheran is the strongest. The first members of this church emigrated from Germany in the fall of 1833. In 1840 they elected trustees, deacons, and elders. Pastor Konrad, of Tiffin, who had ministered to them for a short time, dying, Rev. George Cronnewett, of Mich- igan, was called to the pastorate, preach-

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

ing his first sermon on the third Sunday in Advent, 1841. In 1843 the church was incorporated by act of Legislature, and named the German Lutheran Re- formed Church, of Woodville. The first house of worship, a frame, thirty by forty feet, was dedicated March 8, 1843. On March 3, 1860, the name was changed to · the Lutheran Solomon's Church, of Wood- ville. The new church edifice, a brick building, forty-five by seventy feet, was dedicated December 24, 1865. In 1841 the Lutheran society numbered thirty-three families ; in 1843, sixty-seven families ; in 1865, eighty families ; in 1874, one hun- dred and fifty families. The membership has been greatly increased through the instrumentality of Pastor Cronnewett.

The German Methodists organized a so- ciety in 1843, with about twenty members. Rev. E. Reinschneider, who had preached in Woodville before the organization, pre- sided at the meeting, and was the first pastor of the church. The first house of worship was built soon after the organiza- tion and was used until 1844, when the congregation moved into the new church, also a frame building, the old house hav- ing been sold to the United Brethren. The first trustees were : Henry Seabert, Frederick Miller, Frederick Gerke, An- drew Nuhfer, and Frederick Steirkamp. The present trustees are : Lewis Walter, Frederick Wilkie, John Frabish, Christian Gerwin, and Peter Knoepe. Lewis Gerke is superintendent of the Sunday-school. Rev. John Haneke is pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1844 in the old school-house, by Rev. Mr. Norton, the first pastor. 'There were about thirty members. The first stewards were: Stephen Brown and Ephraim Wood. A Sunday-school was organized with the church. Meetings were held in the school-house until the building of the Union church, since which

time the services have been in that house. Regular preaching is given by the present pastor, Rev. Mr. Richards.

As early as 1843, Father Rappe, late bishop of the Catholic church, held ser- vices in Woodville. He found a goodly number of adherents to the Catholic faith, and in 1851 he succeeded in effecting an organization. A dwelling-house was pur- chased and converted into a church. This was used until 1862, when the present substantial brick building was dedicated, the church receiving ministerial supplies from the neighboring town of Elmore. Rev. Father Reiken is the present pastor. The membership is now about seventy.

Twenty-five years ago the United Brethren church was organized by Rev. John Long, who preached the first sermon. The services were held in the Union church, and continued in that place until 1874, when the society purchased the old German Methodist church building. There are at present about thirty mem- bers. The present pastor is Rev. Hartzel, who resides at Elmore. In 1859 the Methodists, Presbyterians, and Evangel- icals, not having any place for worship, combined, without outside help, in build- ing a house, which is known as the Union church, each society having one represent- ative on the board of trustees. The Methodists and Evangelicals were organ- ized. The Presbyterians were few in num- ber, and their society, with that of the Evangelicals, has become extinct. As has been stated, the Methodists now have a house of their own.

THE SCHOOLS.

Woodville township is not lacking in ed- ucational facilities, and is constantly in- creasing them. In the days of settlement, little log school-houses quickly sprang up in the several districts established. These relics of pioneer days have given way to

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

the more tasty and substantial frame and brick buildings of the present time.

The first school-house was built at Woodville, in 1836, the same year that the village was laid out. Miss Catharine Seager was the first teacher. The daugh- ters of Ira Benedict and Jared Plumb also taught in the several early schools in the township. In 1839 a frame building was put up in Woodville where the blacksmith- shop now is. This was at first used by the Lutherans for church purposes, but afterwards became a school-house.

In 1836, during the winter, the house of John Moore, in the southwest part of the township, was transformed into a school-house, Mr. Moore having removed to a new house. His daughter was the teacher at this place. The next winter the school was held in the bail-room of the old tavern on the present Damschrader place, on Sugar Creek; John Scott taught this school for his board. In 1837 a new building was put up near the old tavern.

The educational advantages of Wood- ville village increased with advancing years. In 1865 an addition of one story was put on to the brick school-house that for years had served as a miniature temple of Minerva. The crowning work was done in 1878, when the present handsome brick house was built, that is to-day the architectural pride of the village. About the year 1865 Woodville had been made a special school district and the number of children of school age justified the ex- penditure of nine thousand dollars. The directors at the time of the construction of the new building were: Andrew

Nuhfer, William H. Brunce, and John H. Furrey. The school is under good management and is doing good work. A. T. Aller is the principal, and Miss A. Reynolds, with Miss Sacharies are his as- sistants.

MILLS.

The first grist-mill in Woodville town- ship was built by David B. Banks, in 1835. It was located in section twenty-nine, on the west bank of the Portage River, a short distance from the present village of Woodville. There was also a saw-mill on the other side of the river. The flouring- mill was at first run by horse and ox power, the customers furnishing their teams to grind the grain. As the whole neighbor- hood depended on this mill, business was lively. It was last run by William Hen- dricks, who rebuilt it several years ago.

The first mill at Woodville was built by Henry Seabert, more than twenty years ago. It was doing a prosperous business when it was destroyed by fire. After it was rebuilt it fell into the hands of John P. Endrekin, and was afterwards managed by Dr. Archibald R. Ferguson. The fine brick structure that now occupies the site of the old mill is owned by William Brunce. It is run by steam and has the trade of the whole township.

There is also a saw-mill in section four, on the farm of Caleb Klink. The steam saw-mill at Woodville is owned by Lewis Maynard. Since the early days there has been a carding machine at Woodville. The woollen-mill, as it now stands, is owned by W. J. Keil.

MADISON.

M ADISON, embracing an area twenty- seven miles square, lies between Woodville on the north and Scott on the south. Wood county is the western boun- dary, and Washington township the cast- ern. The geological feature of this town- ship is the two limestone ridges, or out- crops, which traverse its territory. A ride on the road leading from Hessville to Gibsonburg will convince the most unob- serving traveller of an unusual formation, for protruding ledges occur provokingly near each other, and are calculated to dis- turb the mildest temper. But these out- crops are of great economic value. Quar- ries located on their summits are worked with comparative ease. The rock is of excellent quality for the manufacture of lime, an industry which has been the means of building up, since 1871, a town third, numerically, within the county. Curiosity naturally leads to inquiry into the cause of the solid rock formation being thus broken. The only explanation geology has ever set forth is, that after the upper limestone layer or stratum had been formed of calcareous fossils, a powerful disturbance took place, perhaps making a continent of the bottom of the sea. The tenacity of a comparatively thin shell of rock could afford very little resistance to a force of such giant power. The earth's crust, broken in huge blocks, re- sembled the breaking up of the ice on a lake surface in spring-time. But an era of quiet restored permanence. Drift, which has covered the surface and formed the soil, filled up the gaps. The drift natu-

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rally covered lightly the ridges caused by meeting edges, leaving the surface stony and throwing obstructions in the way of easy cultivation.

The western part of Madison is flat and mucky, but an extensive system of ditch- ing has made the soil capable of high cul- tivation, and remuneratively productive. Sugar Creek takes a course almost due north, and is the best natural drain in the township. Its source is in Sugar Creek prairie, in Scott township. Two branches of Coon Creek drain the remaining area of the western part of the township. Here log houses, stumpy fields, and extensive woods, thick with underbrush, indicate the age of the settlement ; ditches, bearing away streams of living water, explain the cause.

Madison has had an uneventful life, and her history will therefore be short. There are none of those exciting episodes to record which throw a whole community into a fo- ment of excitement, and then live in fireside traditions longer than the memory of fam- ilies themselves. She passes the chronicle of crime to her neighbor Scott, where cer- tainly there is plenty of material to fill it. Madison has been rapidly developed ma- terially against adverse natural conditions. No higher compliment can be paid her first settlers and citizens.

THE SETTLEMENT.

The first lands were entered in Madison in 1830 and 1831. Very few, if any, squatters had penetrated the swamp before that time. This sickly flat, made hideous by the hum of mosquitoes, had no at-

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tractions for the professional rovers, whose general character is delineated in a previ- ous chapter. Settlement here involved sacrifices which no one was willing to en- dure, except in the hope of building up a home, and providing a heritage for their children. All who came had the neces- sary resolution to make them wealthy men, but more than half were wanting in the stability necessary for pioneer service ; they abandoned their stations and sought a more promising clime. Most of those who remained, the pioneers of to-day, ac- complished in a satisfactory measure the object of their ambition. They have also performed a high mission in life by clear- ing, plowing, and ditching, thus finishing the work of creation by adapting nature to the use of civilized man.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 118

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040